Forgiven
by BigGreenMonkey
Summary: Harry's a quidditch player and Draco's fighting for the right to be a human being. Will nothing go right for them? (Happy Birthday, Daisy!)SLASH (sorry about forgetting it :)
1. Default Chapter

This fic isn't for my own evil purposes. This is actually for my best friend in the whole wide world, Daisy. It's her birthday today and this is my gift to her, because of a long and complicated story involving anime, a certain book series and hot boy on boy action. I will post this prologue and 12 chapters, each chapter to be posted on the 11th of each month, so the story will have ended this time next year. I hope you enjoy!

 I based the title on the Alanis Morisette song, because I thought it was a good song. So sit back and relax. Oh, and also in OotP, the jury Harry sits before is called the Wizengamot, so I assumed it would be the case for all serious trials. Correct me if I'm wrong.

D/c: I don't own the characters or anything legally claimed by JK Rowling and/or her affiliates.

Forgiven

"He fought beside me against Voldemort! He fired the killing curse!" I shouted, and felt my face flush as my anger consumed me. At his name, the Wizengamot shared a collective shudder, but this seemed to only deter a few of them from their vicious questioning.

"And Mr. Malfoy has also been named in no less then twenty tortures of aurors, many of which didn't live through his. attentions." A bulbous man with a wiry comb over, Mr. Hagut, replied, sneering. I felt myself start to shake.

"We've been through this! He came to oppose Voldemort _before_ his fall, and all that stuff was just brainwashing by his family." I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose again, barely noting the motion in my fury.

"I think the real question here, Mr. Potter," At first I looked around, for I couldn't remember a voice like that. "is why Mr. Malfoy is not here to defend himself." I spotted a woman of strong build, Mrs. Gretchen her nameplate read, looking over her glasses haughtily at me.

"I think the inquisition has ruined his life enough, don't you think? It's rather hard to get by when your assets have been stolen and your wand snapped." I seethed. I knew I shouldn't have come. I just got so angry, but I couldn't force Draco to go to another trial. This was a landmark case, the one that would decide what others in his position got. I- we, couldn't afford to lose this.

"So are you suggesting that one good deed can redeem a man from countless cruelties?" Mrs. Gretchen spoke again, but before I could get a word in Fudge waved his hand decisively.

"This is not a battle on moral judgements. This is a legal forum. I believe we have heard all we need to, unless you have something to add, Mr. Potter?" I pressed my abused lips together so hard they started to bleed, but shook my head. Fudge nodded, and all the jurors took their rise. I quickly did the same and all but ran out of the room.

When I was safely away I gritted my teeth and softly pounded the side of my fist into the wall. This wasn't going anything like I had wanted it to. However, even as I left, all I could think about was Draco. This was his trial. He had switched sides in 7th year, shortly before the downfall of Voldemort. Of course, he had been the downfall of Voldemort. In my face off against Voldemort I had started to loose. In fact, I was almost ready to die before Draco found his way to me. Draco had then killed Voldemort. I wasn't sure how, exactly, as I had been delirious and tired at that point. All I knew was that he had saved the world and now he was being treated like a traitor.

In the wake of Voldemort's death many death eater families had been caught and interrogated. This lead to many people speaking of Draco. They claimed he had tortured a lot of people, including ministry officials and students of Hogwarts. His entire history was eventually brought into light, and a fact had been revealed: he had been abused by Lucius. Mentally, emotionally, physically and sexually, Lucius had used every sort of way to undermine him. So the ethical debate had started. Was it the fault of the ministry? They had their suspicions that Lucius was a death eater, why didn't they try to get Draco away? Hogwarts teachers had seen signs of abuse, and even thought as to report it on his student file, why hadn't they done anything? Basically, it came down to whether he was born evil or created by circumstance. Then came the battle of if he should be forgiven for his past crimes in light of the gracious act of destroying Voldemort? Some still wouldn't believe he did it, even with my corroboration. 

But I knew the truth. Draco hadn't tortured anyone. He had looked in my eyes and told me he had been set to become a death eater, until he saw what they did to people. It was far too gruesome, and he had converted to our side. I knew it was true because of the look in his eyes and the sincerity in his voice. The other death eaters were trying to get revenge and now Draco was suffering.

In truth I was tired of it. The battle had been going on for almost a year now, and for the first eight months no one on the ministry's blacklist was allowed to get a job, own a wand or do any magic, including potions. It wasn't bad, I had become a quidditch player for England, and was paid very handsomely. Watching Draco mope around the house was slightly depressing, however, even if he did do it in a very tidy and constrained way. 

The hearing had been about giving Draco back his wand privileges. Initially, anyway. It had just degraded into a screaming match between the Wizengamot and I on his innocence. Draco had already been to one of the hearings on the matter, and we had agreed he could sit this one out. After all, he still had numerous legal battles to go through, the most important being the one deciding whether he was innocent or guilty, which would decide if he was forced to Azkaban or not.

I wasn't sure if this was to be the final hearing or not. How things often worked was the Wizengamot just randomly decided your verdict (or so it seemed) and sent it to you by owl.  All the hearings were getting to be ridiculous! 

However, as I entered the house and saw a particular blonde sleeping on the couch, all my anger flooded from me and I felt a tenderness wash over me. He was so beautiful. Lean body stretched out, mouth slightly parted, hair shimmering. there was nothing I could compare it to. Taking off my shoes and cloak, I crossed the carpet, grimacing as my sock feet made unbecoming creeks on the floor. I knelt down beside him and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

I let out a soft laugh as Draco's eyes fluttered open, glancing around suspiciously until he recognized me. He then returned my soft smile and sat up, stretching like a cat.

"How was the trial?" he yawned. I grimaced again.

"Don't ask."

"Well, if you're going to be like that at least give me a proper kiss." I grinned as he stood up and I took him in my arms, pressing my mouth firmly against his, savouring the feeling of his smooth, soft lips against my hard, chapped ones.  Draco took a slight swipe at my bottom lip and then pulled away.

"If you're going to play quidditch Harry, then at least use chap stick. It's like licking a bloody vampire. or a snake." I laughed as he wrinkled his nose, and I knew it was going to be OK. We had each other, and no one was going to take him away. No if I could help it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

K, this is just the prologue, the next chapters should be longer and more shall be explained.  See you on March 11th. 


	2. Mirror mirror, on the wall

"And Potter's circling overhead, trying to find the snitch as Swedish seeker Bjorn Karish sweeps the other end of the field…" I tuned out again, narrow-mindedly trying to find the snitch. My concentration was unwavering, which wasn't healthy since I was also supposed to be keeping an eye out for bludgers. 

Fortunately I quickly spotted the glittering ball at the end of the stadium. I raced after it so quickly I was three quarters the way there before the Swedish seeker even noticed me. He tried to catch up, but it was too late. I triumphantly grasped the snitch in my hands and rode around in a victory lap.

The roaring cheers of the crowd fill my ears, and grinning to myself, I swept over the stands. The cheers grew even louder and, deciding my ego was well enough inflated, I went in for a graceful landing, and the rest of the team joined me. 

"Great game!"

"Yeah, did you see the dive Michael did?"

"The fuckin' bludger nearly took my head off! I don't get paid enough!"

"Oh, shut up you wanker. Twenty thousand galleons a game is hardly chicken scratch." The general babble of the team made me feel right at home as we went into the change room. I declined to join in the arguments and back slapping though, taking a simple joy in winning. 

Throughout the entire fiasco that was now my life, quidditch was the one thing that seemed to stay constant. Not that I minded going through it all for Draco though. I loved my Dragon, and nothing could change that. However, I wished a lot of the time that things could be different for the two of us. 

"Hey, Harry, y'all right?" Irish goalkeeper Justin Aguas asked, a hint of an American accent left in his drawl from his time in Texas.

"I'm great. Why?" The goal keeper shrugged.

"Just looked a bit spaced out, is all tha I meant. Anywho that Granger girl is waiting outside for you."

"Thanks." I replied, and as Justin slinked off I shoved my laundry in my bag and set off for Hermione.

"Hello Hermione." I grinned, snapping my friend out of her reverie. Throwing her head up, she grinned back as she ran to hug me.

"Harry, you stink." She replied, wrinkling her nose as she pulled back. "Remind me to get you something smelly for Christmas to cover it up."

"Aw, come on." I moaned. "It's a _manly_ smell. That's what Draco said anyway." Hermione frowned.

"Yes, well about Draco…." My wide smile turned into a frown.

"Look Hermione. Don't even start it with me. I have enough on my plate without your constant righteousness and worry." Hermione sighed.

"We're all just worried about _your_ safety and well being, Harry."

"He fucking stood beside me when I battled Voldemort. He turned to our side because he cared about me, and at is own risk I might add. I think I owe him a little something." This was met by another sigh of Hermione, but this time she sounded tired and for a moment I felt guilty. But as Hermione opened her lips I steeled himself against what could be coming next.

"Harry, you're absolutely right. I'm sorry; Malfoy's given us no reason not to believe him since the entire ordeal started. We are being bothersome." I relaxed a bit, surprised I hadn't realized I had been tensing. "What about when Malfoy-"

"Draco." Harry replied, a bit lighter then his last words.

"What?" Hermione looked at her companion a bit dazed.

"His name is Draco." I replied once again, a sharp tone creeping into my voice. "He's not his father."

"Right." She nodded. "Anyway, when he gets his home suspension over and done we all go out for dinner. You, me, Ron, Draco and possibly some people from school." 'Who haven't died yet' was mentally added by both parties.

"It sounds great." I let out a forced smile. "I haven't been able to keep in touch with anyone through the confusion."

"We can have a victory party."

"Yeah." I echoed hollowly. "Victory."

Setting his things down carefully, I glanced around the apartment for signs of my Dragon, but upon discovering the emptiness of the house, allowed myself to kick my shoes off angrily. I knew Hermione meant well- when had she not?- but her constant meddling and inability to trust Draco had taken a toll on both our lives. To be honest, I felt justifiable angry. No one would give him a chance. Not even the people who meant most to me. Draco didn't deserve it. I didn't deserve it. And-

What was the use? Anger rarely seemed to get me anywhere good. Biting my lower lip in defeat I moved into the kitchen and made myself some tea.  I opened the paper, scanning my eyes over words which didn't seem to mean anything. When would he be back? Draco was under house arrest. Powerful charms were set on the house so that he couldn't leave without one of the two people who carried the magical signatures. I was one of them and the other one was a man named Jake, a rather handsome tall man with dark hair and blue eyes who usually escorted Draco to and from his trials.

For half an hour I continued sipping tea without tasting, reading without comprehending and staring at the painfully slow clock. However, soon I heard the reassuring sounds of two people in the floo.

"That was bloody fantastic when Jefferson slipped on the floor, in front of the entire Wizengamot!"

"I know! And then when Mrs. Diason asked 'Is that where you'll be giving your testimony from, or is that where you usually inhabit?'" Two voices burst out in laughter and I grinned. Putting everything down I strained to find composure as I all but ran to the living room. There the most beautiful man in the world waas waiting for me, along with Jake.

"Harry!" Draco embraced me with open arms and I grinned as I fell into him. I savoured the blond for a moment, then gently pried myself from him.

"Thanks a lot Jake." The man grinned cheerfully, bowing deeply. 

"Not at all, Draco's a pleasure. You'll have to watch him once he gets out into the regular world again, he's quite a charmer." I grinned as Jake straightened up. "Unfortunately I'll have to leave again, but I wish you two the best!"

"Thanks Jake. See you in two days." The two companion waved, and Jake was gone just as quickly as he came.

"Missed you." Dragon cooed gently into my chest, wrapping his arms around my waist again.

"Mmm." I replied, embracing him, smelling the freakishly expensive shampoo he slathered on his hair. "However, am I hearing correctly that you are using the Malfoy Charm on someone other then me?" Draco sighed.

"Well, it does get awfully lonely." Draco mock pouted, pulling away to draw circles in my stomach.

"I'm sure we could do something about that" I replied. Then I grabbed him under the ribs and threw my pale lover on the couch. He giggled as I pounced on him.

I groaned, stretching out as I came out of my nap. Needless to say, I had had fun with Draco. Smiling, I felt around the bed, but frowned as my fingers found nothing but cotton. Where had he gone? Sitting up, I swung myself around and got out of bed. Throwing my boxers back on, I padded out of the bedroom and along the hall to the living room. That's when I heard voices.

Flattening myself against the wall, I carefully peered around the corner. What I saw while a bit surprising, was nothing too shocking. Stepping out from the wall, I made soft footsteps as I approached the couch.

"Draco?"

Draco turned his head to look at me, a look of surprise and fear mixed on his face. In front of him was a hand held mirror, which just moments ago he seemed to have been talking to.

"Harry." He said, his breath hitching again as I sank down beside him.

"What're you doing?" I murmured softly, laying my head on his should. He sighed, and I felt some of the tenseness go out of his body.

"This used to be Narcissa's." He said softly, gazing into the mirror forlornly. "I would always sit and brush her hair, and she would check herself in the mirror, and say 'Tres bien, Draco." His fist suddenly clenched around the mirror handle. "It's not fair, Harry." He whispered, biting his lip as he tried to fight back the tears. "It's not fair. She never wanted to serve Voldemort. She was innocent. She didn't deserve-" Draco choked and boroughed closed to my chest. I sighed, stroking his hair as invisible shivers ran through his body. Narcissa had never been found, but Draco had known what had happened to her. 

After Voldemort fell, many of his supporters vanished, Lucius included. He took Narcissa with him. This wasn't good, as Lucius was half mad. He had abused Draco horribly during their time together. What he had done, I wasn't sure. Draco had rarely spoken of it.

I held Draco until I felt his breathing even and his muscles relax. I stared out the window, seeing very little of what was in view. It had been another long day. Was it worth it? I shook my head. Of course it was worth it. It had to be. Or else I was living a meaningless lie, and that was inconceivable.


End file.
